The Factory

"First impression?Perfectly toes the line between cool and grungy, with bare brick walls and industrial furniture lightened by cute wooden tables and a chalkboard on which the beers of the day are cheerfully spelled out. Playful type, shambling angles, and a baby-blue couch that matches the baby-blue Vespa in the entryway make it all feel cozy and fun. Cool. So who’s there?Good-looking mid-thirties craft beer aficionados. Lots of beards, flannel shirts, and dark-rimmed glasses. How are the drinks?The program here is unique craft beers from small breweries; there’s always an interesting lineup. They're wide-ranging when it comes to style and flavor profile—check the blackboard for details, or ask for a rec. Worth ordering something to eat, too?You can get something other than a burger at The Factory—there’s a respectable selection of fried stuff like potato and speck dumplings or chicken in barbecue sauce, and good-enough antipasto platters and bruschette. But why play around? Burgers are their thing. Try one of the mad-scientist-style specials, like the sky-high Double Factory Burger with crispy speck, two beef patties, tomato, mushrooms, eggplant, and melty provolone cheese; or, if that's too much, go for something less intimidating, like the truffle cheeseburger with fries. The pulled pork burger with housemade coleslaw is also excellent. Did the staff do you right?The staff are real gems. They love their craft beer. They'll happily give you tastings if you don’t know what to order. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for?A beer hall that turns the charm—and the obsessiveness—up a notch or two." - Maresa Manara